FAMILY COLLAGE 4 HEAVEN: Use old greeting cards or magazine pictures (of children and people) to make a collage of all God’s adopted children. Write GOD HAS CHOSEN US FOR ADOPTION.

I AM ADOPTED ART: Let each child draw a picture of themselves in the middle of a sheet of paper and write - I AM ADOPTED - I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Decorate the paper as child desires and make a border for the art.

FACE PAINTING: Enlist someone who can come into the classroom and help the teacher to draw a happy face heart on each child’s face and write I AM ADOPTED!

GOD’S FAMILY: Let the children draw a picture of what they think heaven will look like, using shiny GOLD foil or wrapping paper for the streets, inked-fingerprints for children in heaven. Write in bright markers, WE ARE ADOPTED INTO GOD’S FAMILY.

ADOPTED FAMILY PARADE: Let the children make a banner to hold as they march in a parade. Give supplies to each team for the parade such as whistles, flags, kazoos, and streamers. Decorate the banners with markers and write WE ARE ADOPTED INTO GOD’S FAMILY! Let the children march to fun music or sing some songs that they would like to sing in their parade.

FOOT FAMILY: Let the children trace both of their feet several times and cut them out. Place the cutouts in the shape of a wreath and tape or glue them to a paper plate. Write their family names on the “foot family” and ADOPTED BY GOD on the wreath.

FAITH AND TRUST PAPERS: Give the children two pieces of paper to write FAITH on one paper and TRUST on the other. See how many words children can write on their paper about today’s lesson before the buzzer or time is up. Tell children to think about all the ideas about adoption, God’s family, thanking Him, loving us, for their “timed test”. Children will enjoy sharing all the words or phrases that they came up with.

ADOPTION PAPERS: The teacher can make up an adoption form on the computer to give to each child. Use parts of our lesson today to complete the form for the children. Let children fill out the paper and roll up like a scroll and tie the scroll with a ribbon. Idea for the “adoption papers” could be: GOD HAS CHOSEN __________________ FOR ADOPTION INTO GOD’S FAMILY. ____________________________ THANKS MY FATHER IN HEAVEN FOR LOVING ME AND ADOPTING ME INTO HIS FAMILY. Signed __________________________________, Adopted Child

ADOPTION CAKE: Have a frosted and decorated cake with GOD’S KIDS, or I AM ADOPTED, etc. Let children enjoy a piece of cake for their treat today!

Carol and her husband have served churches in Illinois, Minnesota, Mississippi, Michigan, Indiana. Carol loves to work with children so you will find her teaching in Junior Church and children's Sunday School. She also has clowning ministry in which she is known as Bubbles tc (the clown).